Metal-wheel production



Nov. 19, 1929. c. SCHENCK EI'AL 1,736,329

METAL WHEEL PRODUCTION Filed Aug. 19, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS BY ien/w I'm Nov. 19, 1929. c, SCHENCK ETAL 1Q736,3Z9

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INVENTORS Patented Nov. 19, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT orrics CHARLES BCHEN'CI AND LEWIS FINE, manual. PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOBS '10 BETHLEHEM STEEL COMPANY METAL-WHEEL rnonuo'rxon Application filed August 19, 1927. Serial Io. 214,618.

Our invention relates to the production of metal wheels by processes of that type in 7 formation, these spoke members projecting from the flanges of the beam, which flanges are to constitute the felloes of the wheels. By various manipulations, as pointed out in that patent, these blanks are formed into wheel bodies.

metal of suitable dimensions to While such a method, as that just out-lined, is very useful for wheels of certain dimen sions, it is not especially suitable for the productionof wheels inwhich the keystone portions are to be of large dimensions. Particul'arly is this true where the wheels have very large hubs and the wheel radii are comparatively short." Obviously, for any given wheel radius there is a particular radius of hub which cannot be exceeded without exceeding thelength of metal available in the blanks of the related prior art. It is to overcome the limitation of methods, such as that in the patent referred to, that this present invention has been made.

Our invention consists essentially in first preparing a ring or double arced segment, forming a flange on one of the arcs to constitute the felloe member, cutting the blank to form a series of keystone shaped spoke members, and then manipulating the resulting blank to form the wheel body.

Referring to the drawings which'illustrate an embodiment of our invention:

Fig. 1 is a plan of a double arced segment of be made into the wheel body;

v Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the double arced segment of metal;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the segment after the flanging of the inner arc;

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken along lines 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 represents the segment in plan view after the metal has been stamped to form the spoke like members; a

Fig. 6 is a cross section of the same along the lines 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a cross section of the same after the alternate spoke elements have been staggered;

Fig. 8 represents the blank after the felloe member has been straightened;

Fig. 9 is a similar view after the bending of the end portions;

Fig. 10 shows the wheel body after the blank has been bent to wheel formation;

Fig. 11 gives a diagramamtic front elevation of a device for straightening the flanges, showing an end view of the blank in position therein;

Fig. 12 is a side view of the deviceshown in Fig. 11; and

Figs. 13 and 14 show another device in front and side elevations respectively, for straightening the flanges.

A ring segment of metai 10 is formed from sheet metal by stamping, or any other method of cutting, having the two arc shaped edges 10 and 10". Following this, the inner arc 10" is bent at right angles to the general plane of the segment to form flange 11 which is to constitute the felloe member in the finished 1 wheel. The next operation is the stamping of the main body of the segment to form the spoke elements 12, having the hub engaging arc-shaped edges 12 and the straight edges 12" .which are to constitute the abutting edges of the spokes in the finished wheel body;.these portions of the spoke elements, bounded by edges 12', 12", and the curved edges 12" b6111 keystone like in shape. These spoke mem ers may be formed by any desired method, that employed for the corresponding operation in Patent #1,552,573, above referred to, being entirely suitable. Next the spoke elements 12 are alternately staggered as indicated in Fig. '7. The method for effecting this may'likewise be similar flange 13 indicated in Fig. 8. Figs. '11 and 12 diagrammatically re resent an anvil and ram arrangement for e acting this step. Die blocks 14, suitably bolted together as at 15, have projecting portions 16 sufiiciently spaced apart as indicated at 17 to permit the free passage therebetween of the ortion 18 of the wheel blank adjacent the ange, the flange itself during this operation resting upon the upper surface of one of the die blocks. The projecting portions 16 of the die blocks are sufliciently inclined as at 19, and a sufliciently large space between the flat inner faces 20 of the die blocks is provided, to permit of the passa e therebetween of the staggered spoke mem rs without interference. To straighten the blank, it is passed along the die blocks in the position indicated in Flgs. 11 and 12 while subjecting the flange successively to blows of the ram 21.

'In Figs. 13 and 14 a device is represented for straightening the flanges by rolling. Essentially this consists of a supporting structure 22 in which are rotatably mounted spaced rolls 23 adapted to engage one side of the flange and a small roll 24 which engages the upper side of the flange at a point between wheels 23. These wheels are driven K by any suitable power as by gear members 25 and 26 operated from a suitable source of power through the intermediary of pulleys 27. The curved flange 11 is passed between the rolls to straighten it to obtainit in the condition'indicated at 13 in Fig. 8, rolls 23 engaging the lower side of the flange and roll 24 the upper.

The steps succeeding this straightenin operation to form the wheel constitute not ing new, the manipulations for actuall forming the wheel from the blank of Fig. 8 ing any suitable ones, preferably those indicated in the patent above referred to. Accordingly, the end portions 13' of the blank may be bent into arc form as indicated in Fig. 9 by subjecting the blank to pressure in forming dies as shown in that patent; and then bending the entire blank to a circular formation as given in Fig. 10 by subjectingit to pressure on a gurved die block with curved pressing memers.

It will be observed that the bendin operations of the blank, first to the strai t form shown in Fig. 8 and ultimately to tie wheel form of Fig. 10, involve a reversal of the original curvature of the segment.

As indicated earlier in this specification, this invention obviates the limitations of the related prior art in that it permits the manufacture of wheels with a much greater hub radius relative to the wheel diameter.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a process of making a wheel, the steps ing the inner arc thereof to form a felloe element, cutting out portions of the remaining part of the se out to form a series of spoke elements, radiallg and diverging? disposed relative to the elloe element, ndin the spoke elements alternately into two di erent anes, and bending the blank to circular form reverse to the original curvature.

2. In a process of making a wheel, the steps of forming a sheet metal rm segment, flanging the inner arc thereof to orm a felloe element, stamping out portions of the segment to leave the remaininfi material as a series of spoke elements, radia y and divergingl disosed relative to the felloe element, and endmg the blank to circular form by reversing the original curvature.

3. In a process of making a wheel, the steps of forming a sheet metal ring segment, stamping out portions of the segment to form a series of spoke elements and a felloe portion along the inner. arc, the spoke elements radiatin and diverging from the felloe portion, and ending the resulting blank to circular foil-m by reversing the original curvature. of forming a sheet metal ring segment, flanging the inner are thereof, cutting out portions of the remaining part of the segment to form a series of spoke elements radiating and diverging from the inner arc.

5. A sheet metal wheel blank, comprising an arc-shaped felloe portion and a plurality of spoke ortions, radiatin and diverging frogs the elloe portion, an integral therewit 6. An integral, sheet metal, wheel blank, comprising an arc-shaped felloe portion, and a plurality of spoke members, alternately disposed in two planes, and radiating and diverging fr'om the felloe portion.

7. An integral sheet metal wheel blank, comprising an arc-shaped felloe portion, and a plurality of spoke members, radiating and diverging from the felloe portion and in a plane at an angle therewith, said spoke memers having keystone shaped hub engaging portions. y

In testimony whereof we hereunto afiix our signatures.

CHARLES SCHENCK. LEWIS FINE.

of forming a sheet metal ring segment, flan'g- In a process of makin a wheel, the steps 

